Assisted living community Sanders Glen encourages an active lifestyle and daily fun for residents, with a team dedicated to providing personalized care. Dedication to resident health and safety led them to install Viconic Fall Defense. This specialized flooring underlayment system is designed not to prevent falls — which can and will occur in even the highest-quality eldercare communities, especially those where residents have more independence and freedom of movement — but to reduce the risk of ensuing injuries by absorbing impacts better than traditional flooring alone.

Leaders at the community rolled out Viconic in a select number of suites reserved for residents with the highest fall risk. Over a three-year span, Sanders Glen recorded 28 falls on the Viconic flooring, with a total of just 10 injuries — nine considered minor and just one requiring a brief outpatient treatment.

Crucially, Sanders Glen achieved these results without intrusive, institutional fall-safety equipment. Elders in all care settings — and regulators — are increasingly demanding a move away from institutional-style design and operations.

“Residents and staff forget that the Viconic system is even in place,” says Executive Director Sue Hamaker. “Achieving these great results without changing the residential character of our community is hugely beneficial for residents, their families, and staff alike.”

Sanders Glen leadership also noted that the flooring has held up to nearly four years of continuous use. Since the initial installation, carpet has been replaced over the flooring, demonstrating that providers can switch up the floor coverings without damaging the specialty underlayment.

“We fully intend to use this flooring to reduce the impact of falls at our community for years to come,” Hamaker said.